The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign was so surprised he forgot to declare the winner of the battle. It was only after Nanhuang Chanyi had taunted him that he regained himself with an ugly look on his face.

“Oh?” Beihan Chu turned to stare at Nanhuang Chanyi with renewed curiosity. He never knew she had such a side to her until now.

In his mind, Nanhuang Chanyi was as cool as water and as gentle as the wind. Sometimes, she didn’t show herself for several years at a time.

Behind him, Superior Unwhite was staring at Yun Che like his life depended on it.

It was because his attack was clearly that of a level five Divine King!

Concealing or suppressing one’s profound energy with a profound artifact was possible, but the properties of the profound energy itself were impossible to fake.

So the profound energy Yun Che unleashed was undoubtedly that of a level five Divine King, proving that he wasn’t concealing his cultivation... However, it was also far, far stronger than the profound energy of a normal level five Divine King! At the very least, it was nothing like they, Divine Sovereigns had ever seen in their lives!

“West Ruins Qi Hanshan loses... Southern Phoenix Yun Che wins.”

The declaration finally came, but the tone he used was clearly different from before.

“What... what happened?”

“How... how did Sect Master Qi lose? Isn’t that Yun boy just a level five Divine King?”

“This can’t be real... Did Sect Master Qi underestimate his enemy? But even if he did, he still shouldn’t have...”

......

The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign’s declaration finally broke the silence, inciting a noisy murmur among the crowd. The noise eventually escalated into an uncontrollable clamor.

Amidst the noise, the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign stared coldly at Nanhuang Chanyi before saying, “Does this win negate the fact that the Southern Phoenix lost nine battles in a row? You were gifted a win only because Qin Hanshan underestimated his enemy. It is unsightly to grow complacent just because of one win, don’t you agree?”

Northern Chill City still had five representatives, and the West Ruins Sect and the East Ruins Sect three each... Yun Che was still the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s only representative.

Although a bizarre variable had entered the battlefield, the gap was still impossible to close. The Southern Phoenix Divine Country was destined to sit in last place, and nothing in the world could change that fact... They had simply regained a bit of face, nothing more.

Nanhuang Chanyi didn’t say anything.

“East Ruins, please send in your challenger!”

The East Ruins Divine Sovereign looked to the side and said, “Xueci, you go.”

His father’s request caught him by surprise, but he quickly knitted his eyebrows and replied, “Got it! I was itching to teach him a lesson anyway.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” Dong Jiukui said in a serious tone.

“Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot like Qi Hanshan,” Dong Xueci tossed down the remark before jumping onto the battlefield.

When Yun Che and Qi Hanshan’s battle first started, everyone had thought of it as nothing more than a passing joke. As a result, no one saw how Qi Hanshan was defeated until it was all over. This time, the spectators made sure to open their eyes wide so they wouldn’t miss even a single detail.

They wanted to confirm that everything that happened wasn’t just a passing illusion.

Dong Xueci stared at Yun Che and shook his wrist leisurely, “We meet again, Yun Che. How does it feel to be the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s dog? Well, it does seem like you have a bit of skill, so it’s no wonder that they had recruited you so hastily. Unfortunately, you’re still just a pawn who’s beneath the East Ruins Sect’s attention.”

Yun Che didn’t react to his provocation at all.

“Come. Show me all the tricks you used to take Qi Hanshan by surprise just now, the might of a level five Divine King!” Dong Xueci said with a smile.

His words and expression were full of disdain. He gave off the impression that he was facing a mere ant. But in reality, he wasn’t feeling nearly as relaxed as he pretended to be. He wasn’t blind, he wasn’t ignorant to the fact that Yun Che had grievously wounded Qi Hanshan in one hit. It was a scene that was as impactful psychologically as it was physically.

But of course, the thought that he might lose to Yun Che never passed through his mind... no matter how powerful his opponent was, he was still just a level five Divine King!

A ridiculous outcome like that could only happen once. There was no way he would lose if treated this fight seriously!

He was hoping to provoke Yun Che into rashness, but the latter was unresponsive and as still as a stone sculpture. In fact, his dark pupils were creating a sense of fear he shouldn’t feel in his heart.

At the Southern Phoenix’s battle formation, Qianye Ying’er was still resting with her eyes closed. She hadn’t looked at the battlefield even once up to this point. Nanhuang Chanyi shot her a glance before asking suddenly, “You don’t seem worried about your young master’s wellbeing.”

“...” Qianye Ying’er didn’t say anything. Nanhuang Chanyi wasn’t worthy of her attention.

She might allow Yun Che to do her as he pleased, but that was only because he was worth the price. There were only a handful of people she was willing to look directly in the eye.

Shing!

The battlefield resounded with the sound of something being unsheathed, and a pitch black blade appeared out of nowhere in Dong Xueci’s hand. A forest of black blades then appeared around the young man, cutting black ripples into space itself.

“Hmm? The Ghost Ruin Blade already? Is big brother planning to kill Yun Che in one hit?” Dong Xueyan commented with a look of puzzlement. The Ghost Ruin Blade was a devil blade and one of the sect’s greatest artifacts, and using it was incredibly draining even for someone as strong as Dong Xueci.

“Hmph! Do you seriously still think that Yun Che is just a normal level five Divine King!?” said the East Ruins Divine Sovereign in a low voice.

Dong Xueyan was surprised, but she retorted immediately, “Do you think that big brother will lose to him?”

“He better not!” The East Ruins Divine Sovereign’s voice grew even darker. “Or else...”

Rrrumbb!

Dong Xueci swung the devil blade once and summoned an astonishing wave of darkness. Light itself dimmed as a terrible, demonic storm capable of consuming flesh and bones surged straight toward Yun Che.

“Two laws!”

Cries of surprise rang from all around the battlefield.

Dong Xueci was unleashing both the power of darkness and wind at once. The combination of both elements was perfect, and his control was almost flawless. It was good enough to draw even the Divine Sovereigns’ attention.

“No wonder the East Ruins Divine Sovereign chose him to become the young master. His talents are truly astounding.”

“There’s a bit of Divine Sovereign in his power!” Superior Unwhite said suddenly and shot Dong Xueci a glance. There was a flash of rare praise behind his dull eyes. “There’s a chance he might become a Divine Sovereign in a thousand years.”

“The East Ruins Realm is full of outstanding talents this generation,” Beihan Chu said with a smile. “That being said, this Yun Che guy is more interesting than him.”

Each step Dong Xueci took was heavier than the last, and his power of darkness and storm sealed off any space Yun Che might’ve escaped to. Yun Che himself was completely immobile as if there was nothing he could do nothing against Dong Xueci’s power.

The amount of power Dong Xueci was displaying was pretty shocking, but his opponent was just a level five Divine King. The spectators couldn’t help but feel that he was overdoing it.

Dong Xueci fell silent and stopped in his tracks. Darkness and storm erupting at once, he leaped into the air and swung the devil blade straight at Yun Che, causing a terrible tear of darkness.

It was clear that he was aiming to kill Yun Che!

The darkness, the storm, the devil blade... Any one of these powers would’ve been plenty terrifying to face alone, much less all three at once.

Attempting to murder an opponent during the Central Ruins Battle might result in punishment, but it was a price Dong Xueci could accept if he could kill Yun Che himself, the most annoying person he had ever met in his life!

Boom!

His full-powered attack hit the seemingly immobile Yun Che, but instead of the feeling of impact and the splatter of gore he was expecting, the blade passed harmlessly through Yun Che and hit the ground instead.

“Wha...” The attack carried Dong Xueci’s maximum power behind it, so the lack of contact and his momentum caused him to stumble forward.

The explosion of darkness and wind had created a terrific domain of destruction. No one could see what was going on behind the curtain of elements.

Dong Xueci crashed onto the ground unceremoniously after his attack missed. A figure then appeared next to him and plucked his devil blade right out of his hand.

At first, the devil blade let out a shrill cry and attempted to struggle, but a flash of darkness quickly turned it into a quivering, submissive mess... At the same time, Dong Xueci’s soul connection to the devil blade was completely severed.

Dong Xueci was so frightened that his soul almost flew out of his body. He turned around to stare at Yun Che, and he was shocked to discover that the rampaging storm and darkness had failed to leave any injury onto his opponent at all. In fact, Yun Che’s clothes seemed completely untouched by the elements around him. It was almost as if his powers were nothing more than a useless illusion.

“Fool,” Yun Che said in a low tone before punching the stupefied Dong Xueci right in the chest.

The sound of his chest bones breaking apart was so loud it was deafening, and his internal organs were destroyed in an instant. A terrible wave of power passed right through Dong Xueci’s back... He could feel his body being penetrated like it was nothing, but how... how did a level five Divine King punch through him so easily!?

Dong Xueci’s feet were firmly planted on the ground, however. He wasn’t sent flying until Yun Che backhanded his face with the devil blade.

Slap!!

The blade smashed ruthlessly into Dong Xueci’s face and caused a shower of flesh and blood. Dong Xueci let out a bloodcurdling scream as he crashed toward the East Ruins battle formation.

No one saw what happened because of the shroud of darkness. Yun Che had seemed completely powerless when Dong Xueci summoned two different powers, restricted him with his laws and got close, but the person who was sent flying out of the black light, spewing blood and screaming was none other than Dong Xueci himself!

The devil blade containing his full power was thrown out as well!

“Xueci!”

“Young master!!”

Shocked, everyone in the East Ruins battle formation pounced toward Dong Xueci. The East Ruins Divine Sovereign even teleported right next to him and caught him in midair. His expression immediately soured when he noticed the extent of his son’s injuries.

“Royal... father...”

Dong Xueci was barely conscious, but his half-opened eyes looked incredibly empty... It was just a punch... the punch of a level five Divine King no less...

This was a nightmare... This had to be a nightmare!

“Shut up!” The East Ruins Divine Sovereign growled before pouring his powers into his son’s chest to suppress his injuries. His entire body was shaking with fury and killing intent. He looked like he was on the verge of losing control completely

Dong Xueci’s injury wouldn’t kill him.

But it had definitely crippled him!!

Even if the East Ruins Divine Sovereign spent the best resources the sect and the East Ruins Realm could afford on Dong Xueci, his son would never be able to enter the divine way again.

A profound practitioner who couldn’t cultivate beyond the divine way was no different from an actual cripple be it in in a middle star realm or the whole Northern Divine Region.

Dong Jiukui was the second person to reach Dong Xueci, and he quickly noticed the East Ruins Divine Sovereign’s unusual reaction. His expression changed drastically when he scanned Dong Xueci with his spiritual perception.

“How... how is big brother?” Dong Xueyan asked anxiously after rushing over at her top speed.

Dong Jiukui was silent for a long time. Finally, he said powerlessly, “He’s... crippled...”

Boom—

The reveal was like a bolt of thunder striking them right in their head. On the ground, Dong Xueci’s eyes was so red it looked like they could explode at any moment.

Crippled...

It wasn’t an outsider who made the comment, but Dong Jiukui himself! This meant that he was well and truly crippled beyond rescue!

A cripple couldn’t become the East Ruins Crown Prince. He would hit rock bottom in terms of status and power. No one would look up to him, envy him or fear him anymore. He would become trash that even the lowliest, pettiest profound practitioner had the right to ridicule, scorn and pity!

“Ah...” Dong Xueyan turned deathly pale as she murmured in a daze, “Im... impossible... this cannot be real...”

Suddenly, her eyes became focused as she let out a tearful cry, “Yun Che... It’s all because of Yun Che! How dare he... father, you need to kill him! You must kill him!”

Slap!!

The East Ruins Divine Sovereign abruptly turned around and slapped her right across the face. The young woman was sent flying through the air, and the slap was almost loud enough to be heard throughout the battlefield.

Ashen-faced and breathing heavily, the East Ruins Divine Sovereign uttered, “If you arrogant, ignorant brats hadn’t foolishly chased him away, this man would’ve been one of ours! He would never have gone to the Southern Phoenix!”

“We... we got what we deserve!!”

“Ugh... ah... ah...” Dong Xueci moaned inhumanly again and again as he trembled like a dying larva.

Dong Xueyan herself was clutching the blood drenched side of her face and lying motionless on the ground... At this point, it was far too late for any regrets.